The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for blood analysis, and more specifically, to an apparatus and a method for blood analysis using a spin coater.
Blood has viscosity. The principal components that determine the viscosity of blood are blood cells and plasma. There are various types of viscometers. In capillary viscometers, the time taken for a predetermined volume of test fluid to flow through a narrow tube is measured, the flow rate (the amount of flow) of a standard fluid is measured by allowing the fluid to flow, and the coefficient of viscosity is determined by applying Poiseuille's law. In addition, there are viscometers such as falling sphere viscometers in which the falling speed of a small ball in a stationary fluid is measured and Stoke's law is applied, bubble viscometers in which the rising speed of an air bubble is measured, rotational viscometers in which a fluid is filled between concentric cylinders and viscous resistance is measured by rotating an inner cylinder, vibrational viscometers in which the damping of a torsional vibration of a vibrating body in a fluid is measured, and Engler viscometers in which an Engler degree is measured. These viscometers are relatively expensive, need a long analysis time, and require a large amount of a sample for analysis.
The hematocrit (HCT) is the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood. It is normally about 45-52% for men and about 37-47% for women. A blood sample is injected into a glass capillary tube and is rotated at high speed, and then the red blood cell components in the blood are separated from plasma and packed into a layer. The length covered by the red cells in the blood sample in the capillary tube is the hematocrit. The hematocrit of blood is an indicator for blood properties such as the degree of blood circulation and anemia. Typically, a hematocrit measurement through centrifugation takes a long time and requires a long analysis time.
The mean volume percentage and the number of individual red blood cells can be measured by using an electrical signal. In the case of a Coulter counter, the volume percentage of red blood cells can be measured from measured information. However, the method using a Coulter counter is expensive, and Coulter counters are bulky and difficult to carry.